


Karen in the Middle

by sammysouffle (talesandthings)



Series: Matt and Foggy [1]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Karen POV, M/M, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 09:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10828671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesandthings/pseuds/sammysouffle
Summary: Prequel to Nelson, Meet Murdock.For Karen, it was like witnessing the separation of her parents all over again.





	Karen in the Middle

**Author's Note:**

> Insight into what happened that made Matt and Foggy so bitter.
> 
> This will likely be the only angsty fic in this series.

Karen was 16 when her parents separated. After a number of shouting matches, one day they sat Karen down and told her that they weren’t happy with each other anymore and needed a break. The break was supposed to be temporary but one Saturday morning her dad packed his stuff and moved out and never came back. 

Listening to Matt and Foggy yell at each other in the bathroom right now turned Karen into that scared 16 years old again because she knew what was coming next. 

When Foggy stormed out of the bathroom he didn’t even look her way. She reminded him that she wasn’t a child and needed to know what was going on but he ignored her. Karen could see him angrily wiping away tears and she knew whatever was going on had to be bad. A loud bang in the bathroom startled her and she rushed to confront Matt next. He wasn’t any better. His dismissal of her and his patronizing tone only made Karen angrier. Like Foggy, Matt tried to dodge her questions but Karen wasn’t having any of it. She demanded he stopped treating her like a goddamn secretary and tell her what was going on. It didn't work. Matt just claimed that he couldn't tell her what was going on and left. 

*

Next evening, Karen went over to Matt’s place and that’s when all hell broke loose. Matt didn’t seem too pleased to see her and even tried kicking her out but Karen was nothing if not persistent. She pushed her way into Matt’s room and that’s when she saw her. There was a woman in Matt’s bed, lounging around like she belonged there. Karen was suddenly consumed with rage but even in the midst of all that anger, she couldn't help but notice just how gorgeous the woman was. That made her feel guilty on top of feeling pissed off. She felt her body temperature rise and she wasn’t sure what it really was in response to. 

When Matt tried talking to her, Karen backed away from him and tightened her hands into fists by her side. “What the hell are you doing, Matt?” 

Matt tried getting closer to her again and touch her but she pushed his hands away, “Karen, listen to me.” 

“No!” Karen cried out. “This is- I- fuck- I don’t even know what to say right now.” 

“I can explain.” Matt sounded desperate now and any other day Karen would have felt bad for him but right now it took everything in her willpower not to slap him.  

“Forget it, Matt. I just came here to tell you that Castle is taking the stand tomorrow. Do us a favor and actually turn up on time. That’s the least you can do for Foggy,” she spat out and threw one last glance at the woman on the bed before storming out. She tried hard not to think about the suggestive smirk the woman tossed her way before she left. 

*

The next morning, Matt tried talking to her again. “Karen, please don’t say anything to him. I’ll tell him myself.” She heard him say as she pretended to read through the files. 

Foggy came in after a few minutes and Karen avoided eye contact with him too. He poked her side until she giggled and looked up at him. 

“You good?” He asked giving her a mischievous smile.  

“As good as I can be,” she answered honestly and returned his smile with one that she hoped didn’t come off as too sad. 

When the court session finally began and Castle was brought in, Karen was taken aback by the drastic change in his appearance. The suit he wore hugged his body in all the right places and even without a tie to accompany the suit, he looked hot. Karen’s licked her bottom lip as Frank walked past them and judging by the look on Foggy’s face, he was busy checking the guy out too. Foggy turned his head slightly towards Karen and mouthed, “ _ Damn, _ ” and Karen tried hard not to snort. 

“ _ I know _ ,” she mouthed back and winked at him. 

And of course, their moment of Frank Castle appreciation was short lived. The man fucked up his own case and Foggy was pissed again. Matt didn’t seem too bothered by Foggy’s accusations. Karen knew this was bad.

*

Karen was anxious around Foggy after that. She knew Matt still hadn’t told him about the woman in his apartment and Karen felt like she was betraying Foggy by not telling him too. 

That evening after court, Foggy was busy going through old files and Karen hovered outside his office, wondering if she should go in just tell him. She wasn’t sure how to start that conversation, though. 'Hey Foggy, the man you've been in an 8-year-long relationship is banging someone else' just didn't seem like the right thing to say. 

“What’s wrong?” Foggy inquired when he looked up from his files. 

Karen knew there was no way she could back out now. "Nothing," she said quickly and tried to look away from him. 

Foggy raised an eyebrow at her in return, “You wanna try that again?” 

Karen sighed and entwined her hands in front of her as she stumbled into Foggy’s office, suddenly feeling as nervous as a child in the Principal's office. She bit her lips when she found Foggy’s worried gaze on her. 

“Kare, what’s going on?” He asked as he tossed his file aside. 

“Foggy, I need to tell you something.” 

Foggy pushed back his chair and got up before making his way around the desk. “Go on,” he said as he sat down on the edge. 

“Foggy, um-” Karen gulped and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, “I went to Matt’s place last night.” 

Foggy pursed his lips and didn’t say anything at first but then he urged her to go on after a minute or so. 

“I saw a woman there. In- in Matt’s  _ bed _ .” Karen bit her lips when she was done and nervously waited for her friend's reaction but also she got in return was an impassive look. “Fog?” 

Foggy released a breath and got off the desk. “This was bound to happen,” he said a bit too nonchalantly. 

Karen was confused now. Foggy didn’t look mad. He just looked tired. “What do you mean, Foggy?” She asked, taking a step towards him. 

“She’s his ex, Karen. They used to date back in college and he was always so crazy about her,” Foggy cleared his throat and sounded like he was holding back tears as he added, “When he told me she was back, I knew it was only a matter of time before we were over. I thought I was prepared for it, but I clearly wasn’t.” 

Karen had never seen Foggy like this before and she was stunned for a moment. Foggy was their rock. He was usually the one holding Matt and Karen up when they were down. “Oh, Foggy,” she whispered sympathetically after a while and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his neck. She didn’t know what else to say. She tried to think what would Foggy do in a situation like this but unfortunately, she wasn’t him. She didn’t have the same level of optimism that he usually had. 

*

Karen didn’t see Foggy or Matt for a while after that and the day she did turn out to be one of the worst days of their lives. It started out with them getting shot at and had it not been for Matt covering her, Karen’s pretty sure she would have ended up with a bullet in her head. Foggy wasn’t so lucky. He wound up getting shot in the shoulder. What shocked Karen even more, though, was the fact that Matt didn’t even seem too concerned by the whole thing. Karen seriously considered punching him after he left Foggy bleeding and scared on the back of the ambulance. 

Foggy dismissed Karen’s offer to go to the hospital with him and she felt like he was pushing her away too. His disappointment somehow extended to Karen as well and Karen wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe it was because she wasn’t around as much anymore and she suddenly felt guilty about it. 

*

After the whole shitshow with Frank and getting kidnapped by ninjas Karen was bone tired. Law Offices of Nelson and Murdock finally closed shop and with that Matt and Foggy’s relationship ended as well. 

Karen managed to get a job at the New York Bulletin while Foggy got a new job at some fancy new law firm. Karen knew things wouldn’t be the same anymore but she wanted to celebrate the small wins so she invited Foggy over for drinks at Josie’s. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Karen asked, reaching out to take Foggy's hand when she noticed he hadn't touched his drink. 

Foggy smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Matt and I are over,” he confessed as he intertwined his and Karen’s fingers together. 

Karen opened and closed her mouth a few times as she tried to figure out what to say. In the end, she decided silence was the bet option. 

Foggy swirled his drink and refused to look up at Karen as he continued, “I’m not mad. Not anymore.” 

“But you’re still upset,” Karen noted. Foggy may not be mad but that didn’t mean he was okay. Unlike her and Matt, Foggy always wore his heart on his sleeve and he wasn’t very good at hiding his emotions. 

“Of course I am, Kare. It hurts but at the same time I know that it’s for the best.” 

“I don’t know what else to say, Foggy. I mean… I wish you two could work it out but you obviously can’t anymore,” Karen said as she unwound their fingers and moved her hand on top of Foggy's. She gasped when she noticed the platinum band that was still on his ring finger.  

Foggy followed her gaze and frowned. He pulled his hand away from Karen’s grip and clutched his hand to his chest. 

“Shit, Foggy, I totally forgot about that." 

“So did I,” Foggy grumbled as he tried taking off the ring. “It’s stuck," he complained when it didn't come out. 

Karen sighed and dug around in her purse for the lotion that she usually kept in there. When she found it, she grabbed Foggy’s hand and applied the lotion generously to his finger and then easily twisted the ring off. She tried giving it to Foggy but he stopped her, “Can you please return it to Matt?” 

“Foggy-” 

“Karen, please. I can’t do it and I can’t keep it either.” 

Karen let out another sigh and nodded. She examined the band between her fingers and was suddenly hit by a wave of nostalgia. The ring was just a plain platinum band with no markings or gems but it was still special. Karen vividly remembers the day Matt picked it out. He dragged her out of the office after work and told her that they were going on a secret mission that Foggy couldn't know about. While confused at first, it all made sense when Karen found herself at a local jewelry store. Matt looked at around 50 rings or so and spent almost three hours deciding one. He ended up picking one of the simplest ones much to Karen’s surprise. Once they got back to his apartment, Matt started contemplating if he should even propose to Foggy. He was scared that Foggy would turn him down. Karen spent the rest of the night convincing Matt that Foggy loved him and there was no way he was going to turn him. She even threatened to take the ring and ask Foggy to marry her if Matt didn’t do it first. 

On Christmas day, Matt finally gathered enough courage to propose. It was pretty cheesy and he even did it under the mistletoe but Karen still cried. Foggy was shocked at first but then he flung himself into Matt’s arms and then they were both on the floor, laughing like a pair of idiots. The hug turned into a wrestling match pretty soon, which Karen happily refereed. 

It hurt to think about that day now. Karen even felt a little guilty. Maybe if she hadn’t pushed Matt, Foggy wouldn’t be so hurt today. 

*

Karen didn’t know whether to smack Matt or hug him when he revealed that he was Daredevil. Although, she was always excited to know who Daredevil actually was, finding out that it was one of her best friends knocked that excitement right out of her. In the days that followed, Karen started feeling bitter and she stopped talking to Matt altogether. It wasn’t until six months later that Karen realized that in the middle of all the chaos, she forgot to give Matt the engagement ring back. Shit. 


End file.
